Long-time UAE resident, Pakistani national Namira Salim has made history as the first Pakistani woman who flew to space as part of Virgin Galactic 04 on Friday.
Carrying Salim and two other space tourists, Virgin Galactic tweeted after a successful one-hour flight: Welcome back to Earth, #Galactic04! Our pilots, crew and spaceship have landed safely at Spaceport America, New Mexico. Salim, who is also known as Virgin Galactic Astronaut 019, was aboard Virgin Galactic’s reusable space plane, VSS Unity, that was launched to space by carrier aircraft, VMS Eve, at 7.40pm (UAE time) from Virgin Galactic’s Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Salim was joined by Ron Rosano (Virgin Galactic Astronaut 017), who is another space tourist and astronomy educator from Muir Beach, California; and British national Trevor Beattie (Virgin Galactic Astronaut 018), an advertising executive and founding partner, chairman and creative director of Beattie McGuinness.
Namira is a multiple achiever, she was as recognized as first Pakistani astronaut by the government of Pakistan in 2006. She served as honorary Ambassador of tourism for Pakistan the following year. She also became a peace activist and was conferred with ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’ in 2011 by the President of Pakistan.
